Back from the Dead
by t3ars0fglass
Summary: Archie returns with some not-so-good news. Oneshot! Maybe.. SPOILERS FOR 2x10 and 2x11!


**Um, just watched this week's episode. WHERE WAS REGINA? Anyways, poor Mr. Gold and Belle. It was a sad ending… So, I think I have come to like a new pairing, Regal Cricket, it makes sense. Archie is the only one who truly believed in Regina, well besides Henry. My name is Lex, and this is my first ever Once Upon a Time fanfic.. Read and Review, please. SPOILER ALERT FOR 2x11.**

**Chapter One: Back from the Dead**

The low resounding knock filled the apartment and interrupted, what would have been, the first heart to heart healing conversation between Emma and Henry since Archie's tragic murder. Emma stopped midsentence and cocked her head to the side as Pongo leapt to the door. His barks were loud and rather annoying, but that was the price for having a large dog move into the tiny flat. Henry sat up straighter from his position on the bed and studied Pongo anxiously. His head moved back and forth from the dog to his birth mother as she crossed the short distance to the door.

The handle, always having been a nuisance, creaked slightly as Emma turned it and swung open the heavy door. Her eyes went wide and her mind blanked. She was at an utter loss for words; the man standing in front of her had rendered her speechless. Only that same morning they had buried him in the ground, in a large, black coffin. His few closest friends had attended the ceremony, no one else. Regina hadn't even shown up.

Regina.

She was innocent the entire time. Emma felt like banging her head against the wall. Repeatedly. Not only had she accused the wrong person of murder, she had taken away the only thing in their life that kept them going, and now, she feared, Regina might return to her evil ways. However, her mind boggling feelings of regret were dulled in that moment as Archie Hopper stepped into the apartment. Henry had jumped off of the bed and was hurdling towards him. After assuring the small boy that he was alright, he had explained the reason for his disappearance.

"It was Cora, she kidnapped me." Emma cursed quietly under her breath. Cora; she made it to Storybrooke. And that meant that she was most likely after none other than Regina, the woman they hadn't seen in days. She should have known, she should have trusted Regina. "She's going after Regina."

Suspicions confirmed.

The look of worry on Archie Hopper's face did nothing to comfort the blonde sheriff. He studied her face for a moment before realization dawned on him. "You blamed her. For murdering me."

"Well, we extracted Pongo's memories, and it showed Regina choking you." She paused momentarily as she reeled her mind for a further explanation. "She denied anything having to do with your death, and I-" She had to blink back tears that swelled behind her now closed eyelids. The burning lump in her throat grew bigger with every moment. "I told her she would never see Henry again." Archie nodded slowly, registering the information, a questioning look playing across his face.

"Where is she now?"

"Gone." Emma whispered quietly. "She disappeared after we fought. I assume she's been hiding ever since." A feeling of dread grew in the pit of the woman's stomach. What if Cora had already gotten to her? What would be left of Regina Mills when they found her?

* * *

Regina had been laying low for almost three days. She hadn't been in her own home since her fight on her front lawn with Miss Swan, and she was growing rather tired of fighting. Everything she had ever come to love had been forcefully ripped from her hands as though she were a child being punished for a wrong act. Despite what everyone thought, she had not murdered Archie Hopper, nor would she ever. For almost seven weeks she had been trying to redeem herself, not for her own good, but for Henry. He was the only being on the planet that mattered to her, and even he had been taken away from her.

The look on his face when Emma had told him she Killed Dr. Hopper had broken Regina's heart, well, what was left of it. She had driven immediately to her father's mausoleum in the woods. Underneath the grave was a cellar that she found suited to hide in for a long while. Only Henry had known of this place, and once she had hidden herself away, she had set a small spell to keep people from finding their way down. In a way, she was trapped. Trapped underground alone with no one, and no other place to keep safe from the crowds that wanted her head for something she had not done. Archie had been the only other person who believed, without a doubt, that she could change. And he had been murdered.

Regina had become quite fond of the bug, even to the point to call the little relationship they had a friendship. He was always there when she needed to talk; he was a shoulder to lean on when she was weak. The first few sessions they had had were interesting and consisted of her being irritable and threats that she would never had gone through with. It was only when she felt the slightest inkling of trust that she had truly opened up to him and revealed her troubled past. He had slowly revealed a few things to her as well, but those were things she didn't like to think about. In all honesty, Regina had found herself attempting to forget the man, but she could never bring herself to truly allow it. He had been a large part of the change she had gone through, and for that, she owed him everything.

The sound of heavy echoing footsteps drew her out of her thoughts, and she instantly snapped her head to stare at the ceiling of the underground haven. She slowly stood from where she sat on the floor, clad in a riding outfit, and meandered her way to the bottom of her father's tomb. It began to scrape the floor and slide over. The sound was painful to her ears, but through the purple field of magic, she could make out Henry's face. And Emma's. "Mom! Let us in, we know you're down there." Henry called to her. She didn't have the guts to reply, so she scuffled back away from their prying eyes. "Mom!" His voice came again.

"Regina, remove the force field, or I will go and get Mr. Gold to do it." The thought was actually a little funny to her, but Emma yelled again. "Regina! Archie is alive. He's right here." Muffled whispers echoed in the mausoleum.

"Regina, it's me! I'm okay, but you need to come out now. There is something important we need to discuss." Her breathing hitched momentarily, and she felt the slight sting of tears from behind her eyes. Though, she blinked them back quickly, she couldn't help but wonder what it was about the man that brought up the unexplained emotions.

"Archie?" She called back to him. Henry squealed in excitement, and she could hear Emma whisper thanks under her breath. With a wave of her hand, Regina took down the magical barrier. "You're alive?" Admittedly, her voice cracked slightly during the sentence.

"I'm okay." He shrugged with a grin. Without really thinking, Regina launched herself up the stairs and into his arms. Her own wrapped around him tightly, and he hurriedly hugged her back. He could feel the warm tears soaking through his brown, plaid jacket, but it didn't matter. It was the first time he could account that Regina had hugged someone other than Henry.

"What's going on?" She asked as she pulled away. Emma and Henry turned to Archie and awaited his explanation.

"Regina, it's Cora. She's in Storybrooke."

**Well, I kind of hope that this is how the next episode goes. There's more to come. Please tell me what you think, and be 100% honest. I am really nervous of what you'll think… weird huh? I don't even know you. This is a one-shot:)**

**-Lex **


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